ATL NI: Speak out on pay!

ATL is calling on members in Northern Ireland to take action against the failure of pay talks in the country with a 10 minute school-gate protest at lunchtime on Tuesday 8 November.

Can you join us and send a message to Stormont and Rathgael House?

At lunchtime, ATL members will go to the school gates and take a picture with ATL flags and banners (let us know if you're taking part and and we will provide them). Simply take a photo – send it to Alastair Donaghy at adonaghy@atl.org.uk - and go back to the staffroom. Up to 50 other schools will be participating, so it is just an ‘opening shot’ to get teachers’ voices heard.

Breakdown in pay negotiations

The background to the pay impasse is as follows:

Teachers pay has reduced, in real terms, by 15% since 2010/11

With increased National Insurance contributions, and increased Pension contributions, teachers have taken a real-terms pay cut in 2015-16

The Government have offered no pay rise for 2015-16, ie ZERO – and have returned monies set aside for a pay rise to the DFP and Treasury;

The Government have made a cost-of-living offer for 2016-17 limited to 1%

Future (pre-Christmas) actions will include:

Surveying ATL members on future actions

A letter writing campaign to MLAs and MPs

Enhanced industrial action (based on school level consultations) on pay.

Industrial action

You may be aware that the NASUWT has decided to take strike action, involving a series of strike days commencing in November. ATL has NOT decided to follow this path,